


Second Trumpet

by Jevil_Joss



Series: The Fall of the Lobotomy Corporation [7]
Category: Lobotomy Corporation (Video Game)
Genre: Abnormality Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 15:16:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19770907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jevil_Joss/pseuds/Jevil_Joss
Summary: The beginning of the end...





	Second Trumpet

**Author's Note:**

> This work contains spoilers for Apocalypse Bird, Queen of Hatred, and Little Red Riding Hooded Mercenary, and all related Abnormalities.  
> YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.  
> Also, I adapted the game mechanics to make for a more pleasing story. I understand that most of the scenes in this fanfic would never happen in the game, but the scenes that do happen in the game would not work in book format.

"Evac everyone," X called over the intercom. "Apocalypse Bird can't be hurt by direct attacks. I'll send Red to slow it down while you hunt down..."

"Slow down and explain," Justin said, pointing his guns. "Since when can Abnormalities do that?"

"These three can. Punishing Bird, Big Bird, and Judgement Bird, upon reaching each other, transform into that thing," Rabbit said, pulling out a shotgun. She pumped it. "This thing is indestructible, but there are three eggs hidden around the base. If we destroy those, it'll go back up."

"If you want me to slow it down, I guess I could do that," Red said, pulling out her guns. She walked into the room. 

"The rest of you get out of here," Maxwell said. She dramatically threw off her glove. 

"Holy hell!" Frank screamed. "What's wrong with your hand?"

"It's the weapon from <censored>." Maxwell grimaced. "Yeah, it feels as bad as it looks."

Justin stood next to her. "We'll slow it down. You guys hunt the eggs." The rest of the employees ran off. 

"Uh, guys, you do realize you can just run? It can't enter hallways, and you're attacks will have no effect on--" 

Justin leaped through the air and kicked the harbinger of the Apocalypse square in the beak. It was thrown backwards, shockwaves spreading out. Justin landed lithely besides Maxwell. 

"I'm not a wimp," he said calmly. He gave her the same look he gave everything, chewing thoughtfully on the match in his mouth. 

"Neither am I," his sister, Destiny, said. She bravely stood her ground, pulling out her sword. 

"Guys! You can't hurt it! You need to--" Apocalypse Bird moved, a blur as it zoomed across the entire Command Center in a split second. It raised one of its claws, giving a triumphant screech, slamming it down on Rabbit and Destiny. 

Destiny jumped to the ground, covering her head. Rabbit attempted to shoot it as she jumped back, but the shotgun had no effect. 

The claw suddenly stopped, midair. Rabbit gave Justin an incredulous look. 

"No, really. You hunt down the eggs, cause if I die to this thing, it'll suck," Justin said. He held Apocalypse Bird's claw back...with one hand. 

"As for you," he added, turning to the Aleph, "you can breach, you can hurt me, you can fuck up my day, but you _never_ hurt my sister." So saying, he grabbed the claw firmly, planted his feet, and flipped Apocalypse Bird. The creature's head slammed into the ground beside Rabbit, but he threw it back across the room. 

"Go kill the egg-things," Justin said calmly. 

"Ready for this?" Maxwell said with a grin. 

"Just like Yin and Yang," Justin replied.

"I thought it was Yang and Yin." Maxwell frowned, the <redacted> on her hand squirming and twitching. 

"Who cares?" Justin shrugged. Then, the two charged Apocalypse Bird. "Leeeet's go," Destiny whispered, then took off running. Rabbit gave the Bird one last look, then looked at a camera on the side of the room. Making a snap decision, she made a rude gesture that she assumed X saw, and then followed Destiny. 

"We have a problem," Mei whispered. She looked around the pillar, then snapped her head back before she was seen. "I found one of the eggs, but...Green Dawn is going to be troublesome."

"What do you mean, 'Green Dawn'?" X replied. The intercom crackled. "Oh. Where--oh, dammit, who cares anymore, do what you do best."

"Resort to peaceful, non-violent solutions?"

"What? No. Punch everything."

"Oh. Cause I was really confused for a second, there." She cracked her knuckles, then gave the gauntlet she wore a look. Gold Rush was one of the most powerful weapons they had. She clenched that hand into a fist. She jumped out into the center of the Welfare team and punched the first robot she saw. A doubt. It stumbled backwards, then she punched it again. And again. 

Gold Rush was a fast weapon, but dealt low damage per hit. However, every time she hit with it, its damage raised for a short time. 

To the best of her knowledge, the time limit was the only cap.

The next robot went down in one hit, mechanical limbs flying off in various directions. Next was a Process of Understanding. These ones generally got troublesome. It had a chainsaw and an M16, and both were capable of massive red damage. 

She caught the chainsaw with Gold Rush. The saw sparked against Gold Rush, then she crushed it. And punched the robot in the face. The steel-plated face buckled, then exploded. By now, a good thirty robots had begun attacking her. She ground her fists together. "It's punching time."

Everette pinned the wolf down to the ground. 

"Gah! You're just a human! How can you be so strong?"

"Why does everyone assume humans are weak?" Everette replied. He looked the wolf in the eye. "We've survived the apocalypse. We can keep you penned up. Now, you answer my question. _Who let you out_?"

The wolf glared at him. 

"After this, I guess we're going to be reorganizing the base after this--and I'd bet cooperative Abnormalities get better spots. Like, away from, say, the Nameless Fetus?"

"You wouldn't."

He smiled. 

"Okay, okay! I'll talk...just...keep me away from that damn baby!"

"Great. Now, who is--"

 _Klink_. Everette looked up at the doorway. "Oh. You. Oh, don't worry, I've got this handled."

"It's you! Get this arrogant bastard off me!" the Wolf cried. 

Everette frowned. He looked from the Wolf to the newcomer. "You sabotaged everything?"

No reply. 

"Well, shit."

Apocalypse Bird hit hard. The pillar it hit fell over. Justin panted. _Damn. I was kinda hoping I could just punch it out._

Maxwell rose, the hole in her shoulder fixing itself. "Wow. This thing hits hard. No wonder it's Aleph."

"Last thing that didn't care whether or not I punched it was Nothing There," Justin grimaced. "I'm glad that X constantly switches up the Abnormalities in the facility and restarts the whole thing over and over again. Cause Nothing There sucks."

"You see Alephs as a hassle, but I see them as a great, big fat paycheck," Red called, opening fire on Apocalypse Bird. The creature screeched, then, in one of its claws, it raised a balance. 

"Pale damage, coming up!" Maxwell exclaimed, jumping to the side. Justin leaped into the air, catching the hand of the Magical Girl, who carried him out of range as the air warped below. 

Red damage was damage to the body. White was damage to the mind. Black was damage to life. Pale damage hit the soul. No armor could block such an attack. Justin had seen people get hit by Pale damage. He'd never been hit by it--only three Abnormalities could deal it--Judgement Bird, Knight of Despair, and, apparently, Apocalypse Bird. 

"Team attack time," Justin called out. Magical Girl threw him on top of the Apocalypse Bird. Maxwell struck its face as Justin kicked it in the back. The creature screeched as it slammed into the ground. 

"We're doing it!" Magical Girl called. 

"You got incoming," X said. 

"Which Abnormality or Ordeal?" Maxwell asked. "Harmony of the Skin? Fiery Bird? The Wolf?"

"...Knight of Despair."

"Shit," Justin muttered. 

"Justin, check your mental corruption!" Maxwell called. She immediately had a hole drilled in her chest by Apocalypse Bird's beak. 

"Low." Justin moved towards Apocalypse Bird, and slashed it. The creature turned towards him, but turned as a pink light lit up the facility. 

"That's it!" The Magical Girl's wand waved, and several magical glyphs appeared in front of her. She closed her eyes, and began reciting something. 

Red blinked. _What is she--_

"Oh, the azure justice, the crimson love, 

In the name of the one buried in destiny--"

Apocalypse Bird shrieked and charged her. 

"--I shall make an oath to the light,

that we will show those who 

stand in front of us the power of love!"

As Apocalypse Bird reached her, another glyph appeared, in the shape of a pink heart. "ARCANA BLADE!" 

A giant, pink death ray blasted from the glyphs, slamming into Apocalypse Bird. The creature struggled against it, but was gradually pushed back as the laser gained power. It shrieked in rage, and then, Red was unable to believe her eyes as it erupted into a pink mushroom cloud. 

The Magical Girl landed on the ground as rubble flew into the air. She panted, then grinned. 

Her grin stopped as a shadow loomed through the rubble. Apocalypse Bird lunged, its beak open, a cry of triumph as one of its claws grabbed and pinned her down. 

_So...I guess this is the end,_ the Magical Girl thought. _Death by...demon bird? I think? Oh, well. I...did some good, at the end. Maybe enough to counteract...everything else I've done, that they don't think I remember._ A memory flashed by, a twisted snake with wings, slithering, attacking. She smiled, eyes closed, as the beak shot towards her head. _Sorry, senpai._

She was immensely confused when she didn't die. She opened one eye. "M-Maurice?"

A familiar figure stood in front of her, holding the beak open with a gargantuan sword. Half of her face was coated black, but, for once, she seemed happy. The Knight of Despair smiled. "Hey. What have I told you about heroic sacrifices?"

The Magical Girl flinched. " 'Dying for others is easy, but living for others is what's hard.'" The Knight had said that many times to her. 

The Knight pried open Apocalypse Bird's claw, then shoved the beast backwards. It slid across the floor, screeching, puffing out its wings. The Bird was massive, it reached up to the roof. The Knight gave it a suffering look, then helped up the Magical Girl. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." She looked at the Knight's face. "But...I thought you were consumed...like Senpai...and...and me."

"I was never fully consumed, and neither were you." Maurice went down on one knee. "But today, I'm going to help. I don't want to wait until the betrayal to fight. Today, I'm fighting to keep the betrayal from happening." She turned around, and surveyed the room. Justin gave her a nod. 

"Who the hell is that?" Red asked. "Do I shoot her?"

"You're welcome to try, at a later date." The Knight of Despair rose, and stared down Apocalypse Bird. "So. Is this it, Devona?"

The shy woman peaked around from behind one of the few standing pillars. "Y-yeah. That's Apocalypse Bird."

"Hmph. Smaller than I remember."

"Wait," Maxwell frowned. "Smaller than you remember?"

The Knight pulled out her sword. "That forest sits outside the kingdom I protected. I went in to stop it before it reached the kingdom." She took a step forward, and Apocalypse Bird took a step back. "Oh? I guess it remembers me, too. And before I forget, one of your 'allies' betrayed you. Devona knows who, but I don't know his name."

"It was Dexter," Devona said quietly. "He killed Everette."

"One egg down," Mei said. It was a testimony to the Gold Rush suit that Mei was still alive. She was bleeding profusely from multiple locations. One of her wrists was probably broken. 

"Now that's an issue," Dexter said, walking into the room. 

"...issue?" Mei looked at him, and one of her golden-yellow eyes opened. 

Dexter was covered in blood. But Abnormalities didn't bleed. People did. 

From her knowledge, multiple Ordeals were on the loose, but most had been dealt with. Mostly, it was just escaped Abnormalities. 

"Was this your doing?" she growled. 

"Yeah."

"You bastard!" She swung at him. Gold Rush, however, was only so fast, and she was tired, and bleeding, and Dexter just happened to be the fastest person in the facility. He sidestepped her, a red glow around his body. He seemed perfectly calm. "You know, if you listened to me, you might actually agree with me."

Mei took another swing. He dodged, then slammed his knee into her stomach. In a normal situation, she wouldn't have even felt it. However, this was Dexter, and she was bleeding out already. She gasped, and he yanked the mask off her face. The mask given by Little Red. 

"Abnormalities are the cause behind all of our troubles, and yet, we still use them for electricity." Dexter stared at the mask as Mei stumbled backwards and keeled over. "Many people die from this. And then, they have the gall to not even archive everything properly. X cares about as much about employee death as he does about cold coffee. A mere inconvenience, nothing more." He crushed the mask, then drew his sword. He crouched down beside Mei. "Who says we need to work with the monsters? We sugarcoat everything, but in the end, it all burns down. You love the warmth fire gives until you feel the burn." He took her chin. Mei looked him in his eyes. One of her eyes was a golden yellow, the other was a bright red, without a pupil. 

"You mostly closed your eyes to hide the scars caused by the creation of an Abnormality." He looked sad. "That this world hurt your sister so is a crime I can't forgive." Mei stiffened. 

Dexter wiped a single tear from his eye. "Few people realize the importance of the Millihertz. Just radio static. But it tells you the sins of the world. They say don't listen to it. But I listened to the sins of the world. I know of the Crimson Midnight. I know of your sister, Annabelle McClear, the Devil of Lancaster. And I know of the monster that A keeps in the basement." 

"Live my sister out of your crazy fanaticism," Mei growled. 

"What happened to Annabelle is a tragedy," a voice said dryly from behind, "but honestly, it was her own screw up, not X's." Dexter turned and looked at Micaela. "Now then. _Get your hands off my sister, asshole_."

Dexter let go of Mei. Most people assumed Micaela was a jerk who was mean to everyone. Truth was, she was overprotective. She'd lost one sister to Abnormalities. She didn't want to lose Mei. 

Mei been born with a rare eye defect. Her right eye was a golden yellow, and her left one was red and couldn't see. Micaela was the only one who mentioned Mei's lack of aim with ranged weapons. Dexter raised an eyebrow at Micaela. "A rocket launcher?"

Micaela spat out the matchstick in her mouth. She growled. "I'm only going to say this once, so listen carefully. I don't give a flying fuck about your ideals or words, choices or deeds. I only care about you leaving my sister alone." Dexter didn't even bother taking a fighting stance. His biggest weakness was his faith in himself. 

Meanwhile, Yumi went down into an elevator. She didn't know why. She only knew she was going down. 

She walked down threw the hallway. Part of her brain recognized the sign that read "ARCHITECTURE TEAM". The rest of her didn't. She walked into what appeared to be a containment cell. A man stood in there, in a trench coat and bowler hat. Multiple pairs of wings came from his back, and he had on a plague doctor mask. 

It was then that Yumi blinked and realized where she was. "Wait. Where--" She turned around and began walking out. 

"Wait! Please!" She turned around to look at the guy. "Please...I...can give you something that will help you fight with the others..."

She blinked, then frowned. "How did you--?"

"I am called the Plague Doctor," he said quietly. "I cure diseases, but...he won't let me help. I only do what is right..."

She frowned. "What exactly are you talking about?"

"If I baptise you, God will make you stronger," the Plague Doctor. 

Yumi frowned. She'd been meaning to pray more often, but somehow, she just never found the time. But she did still recognize a priest when she saw one. 

The Plague Doctor floated over, his wings folding around her. "Thank you for letting me help."


End file.
